


Fallen Hero

by Rose_of_Pollux



Series: Inktober for Writers 2017 [5]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, Trust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 11:16:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12275316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_of_Pollux/pseuds/Rose_of_Pollux
Summary: Takes place during the events of the episode “The Summit Five Affair.”  Having been forced to confess that he’s a double agent, Napoleon is now seen as a fallen idol throughout U.N.C.L.E..  But he is more concerned with whether or not Illya believes it, too.





	Fallen Hero

**Author's Note:**

> For Prompt 5 of Inktober for Writers: Fallen

Lying on a prison cell cot was nothing new to Napoleon. He had to admit, however, he hadn’t expected in a million years to end up in a cell of U.N.C.L.E.’s. Sure, he had a few detractors in the agency, but he never thought it would have come to this—some overzealous agent determined to make Napoleon take the fall for whatever goings-on were happening here in Berlin.

And oh, he had fallen. After being endlessly tortured, he had confessed to Strothers about being a THRUSH double agent to stop the agony long enough for him to form some kind of plan to find the real double agent. But he was still recovering from his interrogation in a cell, no longer the hero of U.N.C.L.E., but reviled. Berlin staff members had been shuffling past his cell for hours, whispering all sorts of things and relishing his sorry state--

_“Traitor. He deserves to rot.”_

_“I always knew he was no-good.”_

_“How the mighty hath fallen!”_

_“See? You can never trust the charming ones. They’re skunks every time.”_

_“I want to be there when he’s deprogrammed.”_

Word would have gotten back to New York fairly quickly; what were they saying about him there? Were the whispers the same? How many believed it? How many were gleefully celebrating his downfall?

Most importantly of all, what would Illya think?

Illya had scoffed at the notion of Napoleon being a double-agent from the moment he had been listed as a suspect, but this was different—Napoleon had confessed (albeit under extreme duress) right in front of him. If Illya’s faith had been lost, Napoleon couldn’t blame him, but it meant that Napoleon was now alone and powerless to find the real double agent—he needed Illya to be his eyes and ears while he was imprisoned.

There was more to it, too, of course—the thought of losing Illya’s trust was a worse fate when compared to being seen as a fallen hero by the rest of the organization. He could do without the fair-weather crowd, but without his partner, he was nothing. Even if the worst happened and he was deprogrammed, if Illya was still by his side to look after him, he could stand for that; it would be a small price to pay for saving the Summit Five.

He was so wrapped-up in his thoughts that he barely noticed the cell door opening and closing, and it was only after he felt a familiar hand touch him that he looked up and saw Illya looking back at him. The Russian’s expression was unreadable, and Napoleon realized that he’d have to take a chance and see what Illya thought.

“I’m sorry you had to find out about it, Illya,” he said, curtly. There was an audio speaker in the room; he had started this, and he would have to continue with it. But was Illya with him?

“I don’t know why you lied to Strothers, but you can tell me the truth,” Illya quipped back.

And, in an instant, all of the weight lifted from Napoleon’s soul. Not only did Illya still trust him—still believe in him—he wasn’t even pretending to believe that he was a traitor, even though he could have done so and had them continue the ruse that way. But it suddenly gave Napoleon an idea.

Napoleon continued to insist that he was a traitor—and as he indicated the speaker to Illya, and Illya suddenly understood, Napoleon’s old confidence began to return to him.

And Illya did one better than just being his eyes and ears; he helped him escape. And with Illya by his side again, there was no doubt in Napoleon’s mind that they would find the real traitor, and no matter how far Napoleon fell, Illya would help him back up once again.


End file.
